Parents Oppose Year-round Schools

Some Say Band-aid Approach Won't Work

Small groups of organized opposition to year-round education are gaining strength at some of the 15 elementary schools identified for the program.

At J.C. Mitchell Elementary School in Boca Raton, parents stood outside as informational pickets this week and lobbied for petition signatures from passers-by.

On Wednesday night, about 50 parents from J.C. Mitchell and a few other schools attended an informal advisory meeting at the Boca Raton Community Center, along with School Board members Diane Heinz, Paulette Burdick and Bob Hayes and district government relations coordinator Wayne Nagy.

Most parents wanted to know why a Band-Aid approach such as year-round education was being taken, when they think the district should build new schools.

"Even if you take 300 kids out of J.C. Mitchell, it won't make a difference," said Sara Peters of Boca Raton. "I work at J.C. Mitchell, and there is no room to expand there."

Lack of money to build new schools is the real problem, board members said.

Heinz agreed to meet with parents weekly to discuss other options until a January board meeting when year-round education will be discussed. Parents at Coral Sunset, Whispering Pines, Sandpiper Shores, Banyan Creek and Galaxy elementary schools are also surveying parents or gathering signatures on petitions against the proposal.

School Board members queried this week said they will seriously consider responses from parents when weighing whether to approve year-round education.

"We've got to make sure the public wants to buy into this," board member Sandra Richmond said. "We will listen to them."

Richmond said that results of a district-requested telephone survey of 1,500 parents is "just a small portion of the response" board members would examine in January.

If the board adopts year-round schedules, students would attend in staggered sessions throughout the calendar year.

The students would get several three-week breaks, called intersessions, during the year instead of one long summer break.

The 15 elementary schools are being considered because of extreme crowding at those schools.

"We have joined forces with parents at other schools," parent Lynn Koenig said. "It's our belief that the district should take care of the overcrowding problems by building more schools, or adding on."

Parent Lisa Milich has collected 100 signatures on a petition against year-round education. She said she hopes the numbers and voices will mean something to board members in January.

In Orange County, where year-round education was begun in 1990, program specialist Dianne Locker said their board faced the same kind of vigorous opposition. There, board members made the tough decision to stick with the year-round proposal, she said.

"Just about every district that broaches this subject will have small but very vocal opposition groups," Locker said.

Board member Bill Graham said he is not certain how much weight the district's telephone survey will carry with his decision, until he sees the questions.

Board member Gail Bjork said responses from informed parents will be the most significant factor she examines.